Educational Technology Foundations
Module 6: Societal, Legal, and Ethical Issues
ISTE C-5-a requires technology coaches to model and and promote strategies for achieving equitable access to digital tools and resources and technology-related best practices for all students and teachers.
Copyright and Fair Use
It is important for all educators to abide by the Copyright and Fair Use laws. The following Web sites document applicable laws and guidelines. When in doubt, you should always ask permission rather than run the risk of being sued.
- United States Copyright Office
- Copyright and Fair Use (source: Stanford University)
- Fair Use Guidelines for Educational Multimedia
- Sample Permission Forms (source: The Ohio State University)
Accessibility
The World Wide Web Consortium's efforts to make the Internet accessible are coordinated by the Web Accessibility Iniative (WAI). See especially the Quick Tips to Make Accessible Web Sites and observe these guidelines when creating sites of your own.
Originating in Temple University and created under a grant from the special education division of the United States Department of Education, WAVE is a Web accessibility evaluation tool operated by WebAim as a free community service. WAVE tests Web pages for compliance with the U.S. Section 508 guidelines and the W3C’s Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.0). You can use the WAVE online service to check any Web page online, or you can install the WAVE Extension which lets you check any Web page for compliance as it is viewed by the Chrome or Firefox browser. How well do your Web pages comply when you check them with WAVE?
Diversity
When using technology, ISTE C-5-c calls for technology coaches to model and promote diversity, cultural understanding, and global awareness by using digital age communication and collaboration tools to interact locally and globally with students, peers, parents, and the larger community.
Equitable Access
Reports from the Pew Research Internet Project show a steady increase in the number of Americans who have access to the Internet. Still there are many who do not have access. In planning the use of technology, you must take into account the extent to which your targeted audience has access, and help those in need find the connectivity they need. ISTE C-2-b calls for technology coaches to coach teachers in and model design and implementation of technology-enhanced learning experiences using a variety of research-based, learner-centered instructional strategies and assessment tools to address the diverse needs and interests of all students.
Digital Inequities
For an interesting discussion about framing the discussion around multiculturalism and digital inequities, follow this link to Paul Gorski's essay about Insisting on Digital Equity: Reframing the Dominant Discourse on Multicultural Education and Technology.
Safety
ISTE C-5-b calls for technology coaches to model and facilitate safe, healthy, legal, and ethical uses of digital information and technologies.
